Team: 2019-20 Boston Bruins

Initial Creation Date: May 13, 2019

Published: Jun. 10, 2019

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

I’m hoping Boston wins the Stanley Cup! If they do, I think management will keep most of the team together. Jack Studnicka will get his chance to shine in Boston. A few trades will need to be made at the NHL Draft though. Boston has a bunch of RFAs to sign and it’s going to cost a decent amount. First off, Boston should trade Kevan Miller. I’m a big fan of Miller but there’s no more room for him on the roster. While Miller was out injured for most of the 2018-19 season, defenseman Connor Clifton has proven that he can play at the NHL level. Clifton has been a solid addition to this Bruins team, especially during the playoffs. Secondly, trading David Backes is a must. I like Backes a lot because he seems like a great leader but it’s a business and that contract is one of the worst in the league. I’m sure the Coyotes will take on his contract because they’re known for taking on other terrible contracts. The Bruins would have to add a sweetener, which would end up being Peter Cehlarik's rights. Cehlarik has struggled at the NHL level for Boston and he had a rough season in the AHL with Providence. Arizona could give Cehlarik a chance to shine in their top-six, while Backes motivates the young guns, or gets bought out. Lastly, Boston will trade Danton Heinen and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson's rights. Heinen is another RFA that’s going to get decently paid. In my opinion, Heinen does not fit the Bruins style of play. He’s a good defensive forward that has top-6 forward potential but I don’t think he will ever become more than a third liner for Boston. Forsbacka Karlsson is another player that hasn’t progressed very well. He was called up for some time during the 2018-19 season but he didn’t seize his opportunity. In 28 games for Boston, JFK picked up just 9 points as the third center. Points aren’t everything but he didn’t do many other things either. JFK is a two-way forward that can make great passes and jump into the rush. Boston is stacked with center depth. He has top-nine potential but I think you’ll be seeing him play on another team during the 2020-21 season. JFK is committed to the SHL for the 2019-20 season. Boston acquires the 26th overall pick from Calgary in exchange for those two players and drafts Raphaël Lavoie. Lavoie is a center/winger that can skate very well for his size. He is a sniper that can also be a net-front presence because of his size. Lavoie is also a great playmaker with top-notch vision. His defensive game has gotten better over the years but he’s still not a two-way forward. Lavoie will most likely be a winger at the NHL level but he can play any forward position. Bergeron and Krejci aren’t getting any younger so moving up in the draft for Lavoie would be a great choice, despite the criticism that he receives. The Bruins also have their own first round pick, which will end up being somewhere between 28th-31st overall. Lavoie could possibly fall to the Bruins later in the first round but there’s no need to chance waiting that long, which is why I have them trading up. The Bruins should draft Samuel Poulin from the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the QMJHL. He’s a rugged left winger that can score and is willing to drive the net with the puck. His skating needs work but everything else is very good. He’d be a great pick. Boston could also look into drafting Tobias Björnfot from Djurgårdens IF J20 of the SuperElit league in Sweden. He’s a great skating two-way defenseman that has very good offensive awareness. The Bruins may have a bunch of defensive prospects already but you can never have enough. These three are my favorite prospects in the 2019 NHL Draft.

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